Best and worst theme park food.

I found an interesting story on theme park food.

http://health.msn.com/nutrition/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=100211053>1=31036

I find #12 to be the best option....cough cedarpoint cough.

hmmm, you know it's bad when pizza makes "the good list".

Very interesting article. I like to eat junk food at a park though. I mean the writer suggested that you bring fresh veggies to the park with you. The junk food is part of the experience, imo.

LK, I totally agree. Veggies and amusement parks go together like...well, they don't go together at all. Bring on the funnel cake, soda by the gallon, super-salty popcorn, and Dippin Dots! If you're eating veggies, you're doing it wrong. LOL

What a surprise, if it's bad for you outside of the park, it's bad inside! Also, deep fried dough with sugar is bad for you? Say it ain't so!

I thought this article would have been the best and worst Amusement parks for food quality.

Can we begin rating articles on amusmement parks? As for this one, I'll quote Jay Sherman - "it stinks!" ;)

Fantastic idea, Gator! This is a lousy article...I give it a 1.6 out of 5.

Good point, Mole. I think that this article was a poor attempt at stating the obvious, like many articles CB links to. Everyone knows that these kinds of food are not as good for you as fruit and veggies. There really isn't any new information in this article at all. It's not very informative.

I follow a pretty healthy diet but part of the whole amusement park experience is eating crap, AWESOME crap! ;) If I am travelling a lot I try to take along some in-between snacks like celery, and I always eat small portions of my favorite crap anyway, or try to.

Favorite park food: Cheese fries, and cheese on a stick, pizza, chicken dinners (mmmm Knott's!) or anything at Knoebels, Holiday World, etc. ;) I have had some pretty nasty cheese fries, but my favorites are at CP (Hot Potato only) and Kennywood. :)

I have also had some pretty nasty pizza, mostly from Six Flags parks. I also love burgers and sandwiches, depending on the park. I will never eat a burger at a SF park ever again. The few times I have ordered their VERY overpriced burger it has always been cold, and the fries were always undercooked. I have never had any complaints about SFOG, though.

A place that serves slushies and smoothies is always welcome. :) Many kudos to Knoebels' frozen iced tea!

Least favorite park food: Sweets, especially funnel cakes and cotton candy. NASTY!!!!! but that goes with any park. I hate sweets anytime!

I know, I am strange. ;) I am also hungry now!

-Tina

We had cheese steak over french fries at Kings Dominion on Sunday. It was like your normal Philly but instead of a bun it was over fries. Price was $7.49 for a huge serving that was more then enough to fill me up. I thought this was a pretty good deal since you can rarely get a cheese steak for much less then this. They also had them on a hoagie bun for the same price but no fries.

When I saw the title "Best and worst theme park food" I thought maybe it might be a story about going from Holiday World to Kentucky Kingdom. Its odd how less than 40 miles can separate best and worst when it comes to theme parks, and its not just the food!!!

Calories don't count when you're having fun. Besides, park food (good, bad or barf-inducing) is part of the whole expeirance.

I have to agree with some people on here...if you are going to a park AND are worried about the nutritional benefits of the food in the park. Then you probably should not be at the park, or have already packed something to eat outside the park.

Really? I agree that by choice most people just go ahead and indulge when they take a trip to the park, much like any entertainment venues. But I can't say that anyone who has a concern about nutrition should either not go or plan to eat elsewhere.

I think it's reasonable to want some healthier options at the park. I know Hershey has quite a spectrum of food choices from healthier to junk. There are any number of reasons people are looking for nutritional value in their food. Expecting to see some of that value in a place where they are likely to eat meals (lunch, dinner, or whatever) seems pretty reasonable to me.

I think that's a load of crap. Treating your body the right way is a lifestyle, not some chore that you turn off when you feel like it. People who do take care of themselves shouldn't be precluded from the parks just because they don't want to put deep fried crap on a stick in their bodies.

If that "rule" were true, they would never have coaster events ;)

I don't go to McDonald's looking for healthy meals and I kind of think the same thing about amusement parks.

I understand the other side, but I pretty much equate amusement parks, theme parks, carnivals, FECs - pretty much anywhere that has rides - with crap food.

I have a friend who is vegetarian and he has tough way to go at the parks. His choices are usually limited to crappy pre-made salads, cheese pizza, french fries and ice cream. If there's a Panda he can get the vegetables. As a carnivore, are my choices are much better? Pepperoni pizza, fries with chili, skip the salad for a corn dog, ice cream of course, and if there's a Panda, orange chicken! Unfortunately, we resign ourselves to the fact that it's just not going to be good, eat it anyway,and promise to get back on track tomorrow.

We operate the Ohio Poultry food stand at the Ohio State Fair, and we conciously gear our menu to include healthy choices, and showcase Ohio poultry products as healthy alternatives. We offer real roast turkey dinners, (Thanksgiving at the Fair), that the consumers can customize to their taste, fresh made salads, grilled chicken, vegetables, lite sandwiches, and eggs. Even our nuggets in the kid's meals are baked, not fried. We have a lot of customers, year after year, that seek us out and thank us for making fair food that's not fat or sugar laden. (of course, we also have the best kick-a** chicken and noodles, cheesecake, and the like for those that feel like indulging!)

I spoke with Will Koch when he was finalizing his menu for the new restaurant at HW. I was happy to assure him that turkey dinners sell, even when it's 90 degrees out, and customers at the park will appreciate the chance to get a "real meal" with healthier options. If only more parks would pay attention. It's do-able and can be fun and delicious, too.

Lord Gonchar said:
I don't go to McDonald's looking for healthy meals and I kind of think the same thing about amusement parks.

That's fine, but it demonstrates an attitude that eating is more of a pleasure. More and more people approach eating as a part of an overall healthy lifestyle, and you don't deviate from that just because you're going to an amusement park. You don't start drawing lines and coming up with exceptions. As someone who struggles to not eat like an asshole, I see the slippery slope of exception making. That's why I see eating right as a lifestyle commitment.

But you can deviate a little, Jeff, and many do. It's just a matter of not stuffing your face with all junk food all day. Choosing a healthier lifestyle doesn't mean never eating sweets and fried foods. In fact, eliminating that food from your diet altogether is likely a sure fire way to fail at your commitment.

ridemcoaster said:
If that "rule" were true, they would never have coaster events ;)

Very true! :)

All the crap I eat at amusement parks or fairs I rarely eat at home, so I always believed that moderation never hurt anyone, especially when you are on vacation. I don't go crazy but it's always fun to treat yourself to your favorite crap food. ;) Plus I wear it off easily anyway by keeping active. :) I love veggies as well as meat, so it's cool to go to a park that has some variety. :) If not, well, it won't break my heart. :)

There are plenty of other places outside of most parks. :)

-Tina